Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

This dissertation discusses corruption within the Nigeria Police Force as a moral decay facing the institution. It provides an overview of the historical background and establishment of the Nigeria Police Force as an institution charged with the responsibility of protecting life and property, and maintaining peace and order in the country. The dissertation identifies various forms of police misconduct, such as bribery and extortion, mass arrests and detention, illegal bail charges and corruption within the leadership of the police. This deviant behavior has undermined the integrity of the force, with the result that public perception of the police force is negative and national security and development is undermined. Despite numerous anti-corruption strategies that have been devised to curb police misconduct, it remains difficult to reduce corruption within the force. This dissertation argues that implementing documented strategies in the workplace requires a deeper moral consciousness of their civic duties on the part of the police. This would promote the common good and increase the effectiveness of community policing. To support this view, the dissertation critically analyses the inadequacies in the anti-corruption strategies from an ethical perspective, and reveals the contending ethical implications facing the strategies. In search for solution to curb police corruption, the dissertation proposes incorporating in policing certain virtues embedded in the Afrocentric ethic of Omoluabi, such as good character, respect, diligence and communalism. This approach could provide insights to complement the existing anti-corruption mechanisms that aim to reduce police misconduct. In conclusion, the dissertation argues that embracing values in traditional African culture could contribute to the ongoing search for ways to combat police corruption. Therefore, there is a need to look into admirable values gleaned from an African indigenous understanding of morality, in order to address the ethical issues facing the police force in Nigeria. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2014.

This thesis explores the current police-community relationships in Kuwait where no previous research on this particular topic is known. Therefore, the overall goal of this thesis is to both describe the current relationship between the Kuwaiti police and the community and, based on the results, provide suitable recommendations to help forge and maintain positive relations. In order to accurately illustrate the current relationship, this thesis utilises three major theoretical concepts: the co-creational approach (relational approach and community theory), systems theory, and social exchange theory. Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action (TCA) was also discussed to shed light on the power dynamic of the police-community relationship. Although these theories differ in their approach, they present the public relations approach through a shared focal point – relationships, which is the primary focus of this research. In a qualitative approach, twenty-two participants were interviewed and their answers coded and transcribed. Particular attention was paid to the sampling of interview participants through the use of the qualitative sampling techniques of quota and purposive sampling. In the analysis of data, three themes, Faith, Communitarianism, and Optimism represent an important and special context for the public relations theorist. They contribute to our understanding of public relations in the context of Kuwaiti police-community relations. Furthermore, the relational elements of trust, satisfaction, control mutuality and commitment are integrated with the three aforementioned themes. This analytical framework strengthened the analysis by adding a comparative and universal perspective. The main findings of this research are the key attributes affecting the police- community relationship in Kuwait, such as trust, satisfaction, commitment, control, mutuality, and the worldviews through which the participants regard the police: Faith, Communitarianism, and Optimism. Furthermore, the implication of this thesis goes beyond that of the police-community relationship in that country. It also provides a thorough discussion regarding 1) public relations theory and practice, and 2) a thematic analysis of the Kuwaiti police. This thesis adds to public relations theories as it extends the body of knowledge of public relations to a specific context of police public relations in Kuwait. This will help to round-out existing police PR data, especially by adding a Middle Eastern and Arabic perspective to otherwise Western theories (e.g. relational, community, systems and social exchange). Furthermore, this thesis demonstrates how environmental factors (Kuwaiti history, culture and economics) influence organisation-public relations. This thesis explores an essential area for Kuwaiti police that has not been explored before. Through the investigation of interview data, this thesis provides a snapshot of the current police-community relationship, highlighting important issues that are obstacles to a better police-community relationship. The most salient two are (1) police force behaviour, and (2) the organization's communication style. It is recommended that Kuwaiti police should adapt the community policing approach. This thesis proposes that adapting the community policing approach will help to improve behaviour and communication styles by addressing root issues. This adjustment will require the police organisation to adjust its goals and mission so as to become aligned with that of the community's goals and mission.

The last decade has witnessed the rise of a new movement called “community policing.” Basic philosophical principles, which focus on improved services to the public through decentralization, better communication and decision-making processes, and more police discretion highlight the community policing movement. Essentially, community policing is the quality movement in American policing. This thesis will explore the impact of community policing on the structure and administration of police agencies. Since this movement is centered in local police agencies, the focus will also be at that level. Considerable effort will be devoted to providing an accurate description of law enforcement in the United States; however, the crux of this treatise will be on the discussion of organizational problems developed at the local level as a result of implementing community policing concepts.

The problem of this study was selected aspects of public community college non-credit law enforcement training programs in Texas. Purposes of the study were: (a) to examine the development of police academies at community colleges in Texas; (b) to provide normative data describing the academies in terms of background, organization and administration, adequacy of facilities and equipment, personnel, student policies and practices, the program administrator's perceptions of internal and external support, involvement of outside forces and the extent of the program, and (c) to provide data which community colleges can use in organizing and developing police academies.

A group of veteran police officers was studied in relation to the effectiveness of a stress reduction program which utilized a cognitive-behavioral approachto training. A new instrument, the Coulson Police Job Stress Discussionaire, (CPJSD), was field tested. Two control groups, a veteran group who received no stress reduction training and an academy group which received standard basic training but not the stress reduction program, were compared on pre—test and post-test Profile of Mood States (POMS) mood disturbance cores. Contrary to the main hypothesis formulated, there were no significant differences found between the three groups on post-test POMS measures of mood disturbance when compared with pre-test measures. The construct validity of the POMS for use with police officers is challenged. The specific format utilized is discussed and suggestions are offered for future study design. Specific difficulties inherent in the study of police groups are examined. The usefulness of the CPJSD for police job stress reduction program is suggested, as is the need for further field testing of this instrument.

The purpose of this study was to determine the various values that influence police officers within law enforcement organizations. The value systems (Tribalistic, Egocentric, Conformist, Manipulative, Sociocentric, and Existential) were based on the "Levels of Psychological Existence" developed by Clare W. Graves. A values test instrument was administered to 297 police officers. Specific hypotheses regarding value differences in law enforcement groups were tested. The results were significant in the areas of Existentialism and higher personal education; Sociocentrism and older age, male sex, detective rank group; Manipulation and younger age, male sex, officer rank group; Conformitism and longer police service, female sex, married officers; and, Tribalism and longer police service, female sex, less personal education.

An "in-basket" test (representative sample of work usually found in the incoming mail basket of a person in a specific desk job) was designed to be used under limitations imposed by Civil Service Statute 1269m concerning merit examinations for the position of police sergeant. This test was used in conjunction with the traditional cognitive skills. test and performance evaluations. Subjects were 20 white male police officers. Peer and supervisory evaluations and predictions of who would make the best sergeant were correlated with total scores on the three-part test. Results indicate that the in-basket test contributes a unique and viable dimension to the traditional merit examination, and aids in the selection of those considered most qualified. Use of the in-basket test under Code 1269m was subsequently approved by the Civil Service Commission.

The purpose of this analysis is to construct a program framework relating relevant factors of the law enforcement environment to a communication crisis training format. Such a design transcends simple reporting of existing programs by incorporating the as yet unrelated research of communicologists, psychologists, and sociologists into a unified approach. The underlying thrust of this study encourages the development of a broader base for police training. The need for that broader base, with full awareness of the interrelated nature of this program to the policeman's total responsibilities, seems apparent. The approach of this design seeks to be creatively utilization rather than traditionally value-laden.

The purpose of this dissertation is to identify an optimum ratio of police officers to city residents for the purpose of reducing year-to-year crime rates in cities with populations between 25,000 and 999,999. Current research in this area focuses on the impact of the number of police officers on overall crime rates. However, that body of research does not distinguish the impacts found in minimally-staffed, moderately-staffed, and highly-staffed agencies. By examining each of these three groups separately, a statistically significant relationship was determined to exist between per capita staffing levels and short-term property crime reduction for agencies with 1.50 to 2.75 police officers per 1,000 residents. No such relationship existed for agencies with fewer than 1.50 officers or greater than 2.75 officers per 1,000 residents. There was no identifiable relationship between staffing levels and violent crime categories. As a result of this finding, an optimum staffing range has been identified for local law enforcement agencies seeking to make immediate, short-term impacts on property crime.